Regan's Reach 2: Orbital Envy (8 page)

"So, what's the plan?" Rod asked.

"We catch the shuttle, somehow stabilize the spin and hopefully make contact with the spinnees. Failing that we stabilize them, and establish connection with their airlock. I'll go in and see what we're dealing with. If there are injured we bring them back on board and, this is where you come in Rod. I understand from your files you are fully qualified in emergency meds as part of your core training. You can stabilize the injured while we hightail it home, easy!"

"Yeah Rod," Leah looked at him darkly, "you can stabilize them with your 'emergency med' training, it'll be easy!"

Regan turned slowly to look across at them both. "I take it my cunning plan has a fatal flaw?"

Rod looked sheepish. "What can I say . . . I cheated, that unit had nothing to do with flying, and how was I to know I'd end up here rescuing Russki's?"

Leah reached across and thumped him. "Well it was made a lot more likely by you including it in your CV! She turned back to Regan, "Don't worry, I've got this one, at least I got my fifty yard swimming certificate! I've done enough to look after this, with Ham's help anyway. What do you say Ham?"

"That you are clearly a woman of discernment . . . Regan, she's right. We've got this."

Rod and Leah sat amazed and mostly silent as they took in the moon sliding by them. The view was crystal clear, almost wall to wall and revealed incredible detail. Their speed only became apparent as they passed. A trip that had for decades taken days was passing in time measured in hours and minutes. Coffee in hand it was a shock when they were joined by an ADF, conspicuously on the edge of the screen but holding point there.

"Who's piloting that beauty?" Rod asked enviously.

"It's Ham." Regan replied smugly.

"So you multi task Ham? That's a useful trait in a guy." Leah couldn't hide her delight.

"Ahh . . . many Ham's make light work." Ham gushed. "Look directly ahead and you will make out the shuttle coming into vision as it spins. You can occasionally pick up the suns reflection off its wings."

Sure enough, regular flashes of brightness marked its position and at a steady rate they drew ever closer. Only thirty seven minutes later by Rod's watch they were clearly slowing, the shuttle now looming large in their viewer.

"Ok Ham, what's the plan?"

"As you said earlier, first we need to stabilize that spin."

"The ADF?"

"It's a risk," Ham replied. "It might be damaged, or damage the shuttle." [Regan, We could always just pop them on board with the IVD?]

[No way, I don't want them knowing about that technology just yet]

Rod and Leah were looking at her. "Any ideas?" she asked.

Rod spoke first. "Sitting here experiencing Ham's control, I get the feeling he can manage anything, right? What about sliding the ADF in there and matching the spin. Are the thrusts regular?"

"I can see where you're going." Ham replied. Calculate the time of the shuttle bursts and match it with a burst from the ADF."

"You'll need to start slow and build up, slow down the spin then bring it to a stop. Otherwise inside there, well, it doesn't bear thinking about." Rod leant back, arms crossed, quietly pleased with himself.

Regan smiled and shook her head. "Well Ham, sounds good to me. I love the ADF's but we can build more, as long as the ghost is all right."

"Ghost?" Leah asked.

"That's Ham," Regan replied, in concentrated business mode, "I'll tell you about it one day."

"Good enough for me."
So I'll still be around one day!
Leah settled back into her chair.

Already, from their dizzying vantage point they could see the ADF gently approaching the tumbling vessel.

It was a dance. The ADF smoothly approached the Russian shuttle adjusting its own spin so exactly; frankly there was nothing to see. This didn't stop Ham describing in painful detail every action until Regan intervened.

"For god's sake Ham just do it will you!"

This seemed to speed up the proceedings leaving both Rod and Leah wondering whether Ham could have completed it in half the time without an audience. Regan certainly thought so.

Soon the ADF was exactly synchronized and gently touched the Shuttle wing. For a moment they spun together in close embrace. Then they could see with each burst of the shuttle maneuvering thruster, the spin seemed less and less. What the ADF was doing they didn't know and didn't ask. Their eyes were fixed on the shuttle, wondering.

When finally the two were suspended, locked as if magnetized together, there was a collective intake of breathe in the control room. Suspension of belief had sustained them to this point. Now reality set in.

Regan spoke first. "What are we going to find."

"My moneys on chunky bits." Ham wasted no time with his opinion.

Regan ignored him. "Well, let's get this show on the road. I guess we drift in there now, what, rearward? And see if we can link up with their airlock. How exactly are we going to do that Ham?" For the first time she sounded doubtful.

"I still have a few tricks up my sleeve oh you of little faith. We'll be on our way just as soon as I have the cameras in place."

"Camera's!" All three spoke at once.

"Well of course, this is fantastic PR. I've been live feeding everything from the beginning, with an expert commentary. Get with the program people; we're rescuing Russians, in space!"

"I'm not sure that was a good idea Ham. They wanted to keep this under wraps."

"Under wraps? What bullshit. This is great viewing, and there may be chunky bits! This is going live around the world. Numbers are picking up even as we speak. There are over seven million in Russia alone watching. Hold on, I've got the drone in place, have a look at this!"

Suddenly their view was of the opposite side of the shuttle with only the wide starscape visible beyond. The little ADF could be seen propping up the near wing, and then suddenly the shape of the interceptor appeared from the other side rising majestically, serenely, THE STEIN TRAVELLER emblazoned on the side. The interceptor began a slow turn to face the camera and Regan laughed out loud. It had a front screen through which could be clearly seen, herself and Major's Harmon and Morgan.

She dropped her face into her hands and muttered, "Oh . . . my . . . god!"

"Don't worry," said Ham, "I can edit that bit."

The shuttle drew nearer in the viewer and Regan realized their guests would have little idea of what was happening. "Guy's, it's not obvious from here because the view hasn't changed for you but we're actually coming in backwards, am I right Ham?"

"Correct." He subbed again [I'm going to extend a field bubble between us. It won't be quite as stable in a tube form but it should hold up fine . . . almost certainly. Regan, do you want
them
to know about this?]

[Shit Ham, even I didn't know about this. I guess we could
almost certainly
disguise it . . . knowing your incredible ability!]

[Good idea . . . I'll make it black so they can't see the stars. But remember, you'll still have to float across. No Grav plates, sorry]

[Float! I've never floated before; can't you just guide me or something?]

[What, with a poke on the bum? Look, just push off and float over there. Worst case scenario you'll just bounce off the field and look like a right doofus]

Not for the first time Regan realized her 'glazed' look drew attention.

"Are you Ok Regan?" Leah shook her arm.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, are you sure you don't want me to do this?" Rod stepped toward the door.

"No!" Regan stepped in front of him. "I was just planning my approach."

"Now this is interesting." Ham interrupted, "I now have wireless contact. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with their systems, and I register one life form. It's not moving. I can open their hatch from here."

"If the . . ." she hesitated.

[Connection tube!]

". . . Connection tube is up, open the doors Ham." Regan positioned herself.

A woosh and the doors opened to reveal a black pipe stretching out to the hatch of the shuttle. The only light came from the Interceptor so the path across looked eerily dim.

[Just stand at the doorway and with arms on either side push off for the shuttle. Try to do it evenly. I'll open the door of the shuttle before you get there]

[Oh joy!]

Regan reached outside the Interceptor and gripped the sides of the door opening she could feel. Trying to make as smooth an action as possible she pulled herself through into weightlessness, continuing the push to propel herself toward the shuttle. It worked next to perfectly with only a slight spin taking her off vertical. In front of her the door ratcheted open. Standing there in full space suit they could see a figure, with a weapon, pointing her way.

[Oh shit] Regan was still sailing forward, now in a star shape and out of control. Whether or not it was the man's original intention to shoot the sight site of a body flying toward him clearly decided the matter and he did fire, wildly, three times. Two of the shots proved superfluous as the first proved enough to break up the field which snapped back to the interceptor door. Both Regan and the Cosmonaut were sucked instantly into the void.

Rod and Leah both stood at the door, now looking into vacuum only half a meter away. "Fuck Ham . . . what happened?" Rod pressed up close to the field, trying to look either side. There was no sign of either Regan or the attacker.

"Well, clearly I need to work on the integrity of the . . . Ahem! Tube. What sort of an idiot brings a gun into space!" Ham sounded offended more than anything. The doors slid shut.

"Ham . . . Regan! Is she ok?" Leah was frantic. "Shit . . . shit!"

"I'm onto it, give me a moment." He shut the doors.

[Babe . . . don't try to breathe] Ham calmly subbed to Regan.

[Don't breathe! Are you kidding . . . I'm blind, I can't see anything . . . and I
can't
breathe!]

[That's because you're trying too hard. Relax, take a slow breath and you'll be able to take it out of the fabric. It'll cover you for about fifteen minutes. You can't see at the moment because there's nothing to see inside your head cover. I'd pop you right back in here but you said not to so I'm drawing up to you and the doors should be there right . . . about . . . now]

Behind them the doors opened with Rod and Leah turning just in time to catch the black masked ninja falling through the opening.

"Fuck me!" Rod muttered as they lowered her to the floor, the top of the suit shrinking back into the Chinese collar it was before.

"Maybe later," Regan replied gasping, "Where is that plonker?"

"He's there." said Ham.

They turned to the screen, the Cosmonaut suspended there in space looking at the Interceptor. Incredibly, he still held the gun. He pointed it at what he perceived to be the screen.

"What a git! He's not going to fire it surely?" Regan still sitting on the floor couldn't believe it.

Then he lifted the barrel to his helmet and fired.

The atmosphere in the Interceptor was subdued as they headed for home.

"Do we count that as a success?" Regan asked no one in particular.

"We're alive." Rod was quick to point out.

"What about that moon team?" Leah asked.

"That's a damn good point Leah . . . Ham? Where are they?"

"They're still in the Sherpa, arriving at earthward flight deck in an hour. Regan, we need that load the Sherpa's carrying."

"Get security there Ham. Make sure Brian's one of them and tell him they don't leave the deck. Cram them in the smallest most uncomfortable shuttle we've got and send them down to Riverside. We can have the police meet them there."

"Hmm, the smallest and most uncomfortable shuttle; that would be the one Rod and Leah came in."

She laughed, the other two failed to see the joke.

"Just get them down there Ham. I don't want them on my station a moment longer than necessary."

"Just so you know Babe that made great viewing. Billions will watch that, again and again. The shot of him flying off into space was spectacular."

"How did you get that shot?" Rod looked amazed.

"Ahh, we used a helmet cam, on Regan." Ham quickly replied and moved on, "Where to then boss?"

"Let's go down to Riverside to meet them, I'd like to eyeball them myself. What do you say team? I'll show you my apartment and we can sleep there tonight."

The two Americans looked at each other with a common thought . . .
'Team'
. There were no objections.

The bright winter's day in Wellington quickly washed away memories of the coldness of space. Regan was unusually subdued as they made the usual run up the river toward home. It was unnecessary but Ham knew it was her favorite route. Nothing moved her today.

[Are you ok babe?]

[That's the second shot at me Ham, what the fucks going on?]

[We'll work it out, don't worry. Word has got out about the rescue. There's a crowd building at Riverside. You sure you want to go there?]

[We'll be on the roof Ham, no worries; I don't want to get paranoid]

Leah seemed to sense the tension and walked up behind Regan to squeeze her shoulders gently. "Are you ok?"

Regan put one hand back and squeezed Leah's in appreciation. "Thanks, I'm all right, just a bit shaken up I guess." She stood and joined Leah as they approached the rooftop of home. The crowd while not huge was significant. Mixed in among them were the Moon Graffiti protestors as usual but they were far outweighed by supporters.

They settled gently to the rooftop beside a Pod already there and as they disembarked a loud cheer erupted from out of their sight. They couldn't resist and walked over to peer across the top of the rampart, Regan stretching over to try and see the base . . .

Regan jerked back flung like a rag doll and crashed to the ground, the sound of a shot following. Instantly there was a flash and she disappeared, along with Leah who had dived to shield her.